I'm completely new to reloading and am in the process of building the bench. Top will be 48" x 30" and will be (2) pieces of 3/4 inch wood glued and screwed together.

I've purchased a RCBS RockChucker Supreme kit so that is the press I will be using. My question is where do most folks mount the press? I'm right-handed. Do I mount the press to the right and work the press handle with the right hand while feeding the press with the left or vice versa? Just looking for help from those who've been doing this for many years and been through the trial and error process.

Thanks for any help.

For that matter, maybe some mount it in the center. It just seems that it would be in the way if not to one side or the other. Also, does anyone use any support plate between the press and the table top? Or how about a support plate between the bottom of the table and the bolts for attaching the press? Just some other questions I forgot to ask.

Well, you could mount it to a piece of 2x10 and fasten that to the table with "C" clamps.

Then you could decide where to mount it.

My table is 8 feet and my press in in the middle. I resize from the left side of the press but when Im seating bullets, I on the right side. No good reason except my scale is to the left of my press.

I first mounted my press on the left side of the bench but when I put a new countertop on the bench I moved everything around and put the press on the right side and it really makes loading easier for me. Then I got a Hornady progressive and mounted it between the Rock Chucker and the wall, and this is still enough room to use them both.

quote:

I'm right-handed. Do I mount the press to the right and work the press handle with the right hand while feeding the press with the left

Yup....that's most convenient for me.....press to the right end of the bench and to the left of that a powder measure, a scale stand, and cabinets for stuff.

Under the bench one should make cabinets for primers, powder, bullets etc.

I'm also right handed and have my single stage press mounted on the right side of my bench top. However, I have my progressive presses to the left of my work area. I've found this is more conducive to smooth operation for me when operating a progressive.

For my Redding Ultra Mag I have inlet a quarter inch piece of steel plate into the bench top and one below to support the press as it overhangs the frame of the bench.

I stand slightly to the left of my Lyman and right in front of my Co-Ax when loading. They are mounted to the right center of my bench. I use the left side for my scales, work area, and the far right seems to be the place all the flotsam and jetsam washes up.

I am right handed and I mount my presses offset to the right of the bench. (near a leg to give a bit more stability and less "spring" during the cycling of the press)
I mount my presses directly onto a piece of doubled and glued 3/4" plywood that is 8"x12". This is mounted on the bench with lag bolts and fender washers and wing nuts. The holes thru the plywood and bench are carefully aligned as to be interchangable with other presses I have mounted in the same way but are set up to do different things.
The suggestion to first mount the press on a piece of wood and then secure it on the bench with C clamps until you decide exactly where you want it is a good one as sometimes being able to move the press just a couple of inches will make a big difference in ease of use.

IMHO it depends on where your bench is located on the wall in my case my bench is in a corner so I mounted my press on the left of my bench as I have shelves on the side wall with bullets and powder measure mounted on the shelf with C clamps.If my bench was in the middle of my wall I would mount my press to the right 1/3 of my bench.

quote:

Originally posted by Ol` Joe:
the far right seems to be the place all the flotsam and jetsam washes up.

Mine is also mounted on the right with about 12" of bench remaining on the right hand side. That 12" is handy for tools and powder dispenser. Easy to grab a wrench to lock down a die or a screwdriver to set the bullet seater, etc. Just to the left of the press remains clear so I can use it for loading blocks, lube pads, primer tray or die boxes as needed. My scale, bullets and powders (only one powder down on the bench at one time!) are on shelves above the bench. I find it especially helpful to have the scale and trickler at eye level. Further to the left is a gun vise for cleaning and measuring to the lands, etc.

Also, on the wall behind the bench I have some slot-board. Peg-board would also work. They make all kinds of attachements like shelf brackets, plastic bins and wire bins for that stuff and you can place to fit your needs. Just make sure to glue and screw securely and you might have to run braces vertically on the front to help hold the weight.

quote:

Top will be 48" x 30" and will be (2) pieces of 3/4 inch wood glued and screwed together.

If you can find a solid core door, either 1 3/8" or 1 3/4", at an economical price, they make great tops.

I have a press on either end of the bench, one for seating the bullet and the other for crimping. Both presses and my trimmer and all other accessories are mounted on a six inch hardwood board and have two holes drilled three inches on center so every thing can be installed on the bench in seconds, using the same holes.

+1 on the solid core door idea. Ask at your local home center for scratched, dented, or blemished doors at a discount.

I use my left hand for feeding the cartridge into the press, but my right hand for setting the bullet on the cartridge. Right now I use a Huntington compac hand press with a little stand (still portable, but both hands are required to work the levers), so that may change if/when I change to a regular bench-mounted press.

teesh, I don't like to leave mine mounted permanetly for lack of space. I have mine mounted on a piece of aluminum 5/8"X4"X16". When I am ready to reload I just use 2 clamps to mount it to the bench.

I set the top of my bench up so that I have two "dove tailed" areas about 1/3 and 2/3 way down the bench. I mount by presses on boards that fit the dove tailed slots on the bench, so I can change presses and other equipment. Believe me, you will have additional presses!

I have "blanks" that fit the slots for when I want a clean bench, which happens about once every two or three years.

I put a shelf up to the rear of my bench, which is much shallower than yours. I put my balance beam scale on the self just about at eye level, so it is easy to read.

I use to have a powder measure mounted on an angle iron coming out from the shelf, so I could throw a charge into the pan, reseat the pan, and trickle added powder with only a little movement. I use one of those wonderful RCBS auto scales now. A real wonder and time saver.

You will find, I think, that you don't need a great deal of depth to your bench, but you do need a great deal of storage. Fairly shallow box-like storage shelves work well for keeping components in sight, and preventing sagging from the weight of components.

Make sure you have good light over your bench, but not glaring. The glare causes fatigue.

This is way beyond what you asked about, but foregive a rambling old reloader. Kudude

I'm right handed and it just seems more comfortable to me to have my Rockchucker on the right side of the bench.

Couple things not answered/addressed so far.

yes, plate the bolts and use large dia flat washers, wouldn't hurt to use self locking nuts too. That is, IF you intend to leave it mounted to the bench all the time.

The other thing with such a small bench. It should have a "rail" under the edge's of the top. If that's not flush against the wall, put a block behind the rail so it's all flush to the wall. Locate a couple studs in the wall and anchor thru the back rail/block into the studs. Sooner or later you're gonna lean on things and it'll tip, or try to. That will prevent it.

Since I've used my 34" long bench for mounting a lathe, drill press, grinders, vise, valve grinder etc and the rest of it being buried under "other shit", I've mounted three press's on a 2'sq of 1/2" plate Drilled and tapped, and the end's of the bolts ground flush. This in on a desk, c clamped down in the loading room away from all the metal working tools and equipment. Seems to work for me and keeps sparks from grinding and welding away from the powder, primers and ammo. Some reason it seems that's best.

You'll figure it out, no doubt it'll be moved more than once. I'd suggest until you're sure of where you do want it, mount it to a plate, then clamp that to the top. That way you can move it around. Without experience at it, you'll never be completely happy with where it's at the first time.

Wish you well and welcome to reloading.

George

I'm left handed, but have the press mounted near the right end of the bench. I find i convenient to pull the handle with my right hand and load the components with my more cordinated left hand. Shot shell press is to the left of center. Both are mounted with blind nuts or "T" nuts for quick removal.

Make sure you have good support under the press. I started using a Lee neck sizing die which requires more force on the handle as the press is not allowed to "cam over". I had to add a 1/8" steel plate under the press to make it rigid. (the bench top is double 5/8" ply)

My basement is about 26' wide on the inside. At my wife's suggestion, I built an eight foot section of shelves on the left, then a five foot bench in the center and another eight foot of shelves on the right. There are five shelves in each section. The two top shelves bridge across the bench, with a florescent light under the lower shelf. Now i have reloading supplies and equipment immediately to the left, right, and above the bench, within easy reach. Other tools and equipment occupy the far ends of the shelves.

A temporary mount to find the best position is a good idea. I may save making extra holes in the bench top.

I like them mounted on the right end of a bench (Right handed). That way I have the rest of the bench to pile all of my other components and tools on. If mine were mounted in the center of a small bench it would make the bench useless for all other prep IMO.

Good Luck

Reloader

I leave enough room on both sides of the press to stack stuff. You'll want a tray on one side with powder charged cases and a box/bucket/tray on the other for loaded rounds, with a box of bullets also within reach. That's a lot of reaching if your press is so far to one side that you can't put anything on a side.

I have my press bolted to a 2x6. The 2x6 has a 3/4" bolt at the other end that matched a hole in my benchtop. Add washers and a wingnut and oyu can move or remove it quite easily, but it's really quite solid.

Thanks for all the posts. They've all helped in some way. I believe i will find a 2x8 or 2x10 and mount it on that so i can then c-clamp it to the bench as suggested. Thanks again to everyone

C-Clamp set up has been my favorite for
years. Very Flexible. I can have all of these
tools mounted at once or none, depending on the
task at hand.

For sizing brass, I like a Rockchucker mounted on the end of the bench.

If the connection to the wall fails and the bench rocks up in the air, I want to be lifting the bench the long way.

As a result I have that press mounted on the end of a 2x6, and the 2x6 across the front of the bench.
The press hangs out off the right end of the bench and the handle goes up and down in a plane that is parallell to the front of the bench.

The wimpy press operations, [like decapping, priming, seating, crimping, and metering powder] can all be done with presses mounted to the front of the bench. The reaction to those forces is to pull the bench loose from the wall, but the forces are wimpy, so bench to wall stud screws are safe.